So, as most of you know I was featured by the Daily Mail yesterday – here is the article if you haven’t seen it. I just wanted to clear up a few factual inaccuracies that some people seem to have had a problem with, and address some comments which have been made:
- The angle of the article is shopping on a student budget – the article itself does say that ‘some‘ of my outfits cost less than £50, however the headline hints that all my outfits cost <£50, which has caused confusion and much scoffing in the comments section about how 1) some of the outfits pictured clearly aren’t <£50 and 2) buying an outfit for <£50 isn’t a huge achievement. Whilst I am on a student budget it is simply not true that all of my outfits cost less than £50, and whilst £50 may be relatively good value on the high street I am fully aware that it is more than possible to buy much cheaper on eBay and in charity shops.
- Many bloggers I have seen discussing the article have been somewhat annoyed at the fact that the article makes it sound as if I’m some sort of phenomenon, that blogging isn’t a massive and popular community of which I certainly wasn’t the first member. Of course you and I know this isn’t true, but your average Daily Mail reader probably has no idea. I wish it had been contexted a little better, but I had no control over this.
- A lot of bloggers have also had a problem with the fact that I, some apparent nobody, was chosen. Frankly I have no idea how the journalist came across me or why he decided to do a piece on me but I thought it was a great opportunity so I took it.
- Many of the photos used are 3 and 4 years old (I haven’t had brown hair since I was 16/17!), and aren’t representative of how I dress now as a 20 year old. I purposely didn’t send any high res versions of these old photos and questionable outfits, but the low quality versions were used anyway.
- I am not aspiring to be a solicitor just to fund shopping as some seem to have interpreted the article to say, I’m not an idiot. I want to be a solicitor, and the fact that that will be able to fund my shopping is a bonus.
- ‘Who would want to be in the Daily Mail?!’ – another comment I have seen a lot. The journalist who interviewed me is freelance, I assume he pitches the articles he writes to a variety of publications. It just so happened that the DM was one that picked it up; I assumed that if anyone was to pick it up it would be a tabloid like the DM, but I have not directly worked with the Mail. I am by no means a DM reader and I find most of their content which concerns issues of a more serious nature fairly abhorrent, however it is a national newspaper whose website has more traffic than many other news sites, and so the exposure is fantastic. So yes, it might not be my favourite publication, but frankly I am still happy to be featured in the Daily Mail.
There are also a lot of misquotes in the article, I am not going to point them out individually but anything in quotation marks which makes you cringe I probably didn’t say. I’m not going to take the time to address the ignorant comments about my weight and appearance, I never once used the word “selfie”, and I clearly am not nor do I think I am an ‘internet star’ or ‘sensation’.
All in all, the positives which have come from this opportunity have far outweighed the negatives, and frankly I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Infinite thank yous to all the lovely people who have supported me and stuck up for me, I appreciate you all so much. Thanks for reading 🙂
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the fact that you feel the need to write this as people are so unintelligent to slate YOU rather than the article is somewhat depressing. Congratulations on the article, I hope you're pleased with it, despite the negativity.
Emily x
http://fantasma-velvet.blogspot.co.uk
Congratulations on the article, I think you were right to take such a fantastic opportunity and to gain more exposure to your lovely little blog. Anyone who's negative about you/the article is clearly jealous! xxx
Ignore the jealous ones, anyone with half a brain would see he things you've addressed here without you having to address them in the first place!
Becky,
accooohtrements.wordpress.com
Congratulations! Such a great opportunity, well done 🙂
Nicola xx
Well done, you're doing great! You just seem like a nice girl who does well and got a bit lucky so people should leave you alone!
It's a shame the article didn't make you out to be as genuine as you hoped it to, but I would ignore any jealous comments – I just think it is amazing that you have been featured on the website of a national newspaper. So for that you should be proud!
ellenunderwater.blogspot.co.uk
I am so pleased that I found your blog via the Mail. I only wish I had found it sooner as I really want the grey oversized Asos coat that you have which is now out of stock!
I think anyone with half an ounce of intelligence knows to take what the Daily Mail says with a pinch of salt. Their reporting is so inaccurate and shoddy it's unreal! Good job though on getting featured, what an achievement! x
Lola & Behold
Seen some horrible, childish things written about the article by other bloggers but lets face it if any of us were given the opportunity we would take it! I thought it was a good article Gisforgingers xx
Don't listen to the bad comments, it's probably all jealously! 🙂
Mariana xx
http://fashionforelephants.blogspot.co.uk
Anybody that had a bad word to say about you has conjured their words from a very jealous place. And even if you did refer to yourself as a "sensation" – so what, you bloody well are! Love your blog, Hannah 🙂 <3 x
Congratulations on being featured in the article! I read it yesterday and I was like "i follow her!" (yay!). The comments on the DM are always pretty ridiculous, good on you for keeping your head held high! x
I can't believe other bloggers could be so unsupportive and childish, but I suppose that's what jealousy does. Anyone else would have taken the opportunity too, so well done you!
♥
It's a shame you have to justify this – most people should always take what they read on the DM with a pinch of salt! Also I don't think there is shame in reading the DM! Congratulations 🙂 Steph x
britishbeautyblagger.wordpress.com
If it hadn't of been for that article I would never have known about this blog so it is just as well that the man chose to do you and not another blogger Hannah. It was, however ill informed, a wonderful piece that I would have been proud to have produced.
WELL SAID!
I've seen some horrible comments from other bloggers about your article which truly shocked me! I thought we were supposed to be a supportive community, not a bitchy one!
Anyways, congratulations on the article, you deserve it, even if it wasn't written how you'd have wanted! 🙂
floraldanielle.blogspot.co.uk
x
A wonderful opportunity. Well done for standing up for yourself. Anyone who has anything negative to say about it is clearly just jealous.
http://www.feelingvague.blogspot.com
Congrats on the article girl – it was actually because of this article that I found your blog!! people are so mean and should simply be happy for you, it's so sad that you have to write a post like this. I love your blog now and look forward to reading it more – good luck for all your future achievements!
I too learned about you via the article. As a fellow blogger, I thought "wow, look at that! One year and a huge success!" And, it's no wonder…. A pretty, nice, young girl giving people what they want, outfit ideas that don't cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars. I'm so tired of magazines pretending it's normal to spend $450 on a tee shirt!
You have nothing to apologize for and everything to feel good about. And, as a previous comment pointed out items in all media need to be taken with a grain of salt because they get things wrong and sometimes they have a bent especially against bloggers.
Please check out my blog! http://www.sharemychic.com xoxo
Well done on getting mainstream press coverage! Shame it was from the Daily Mail, who have very little respect for proper journalism. A very lazy article with minimal research and a couple of quotes dashed here and there, clearly written by someone who didn't really care about creating an accurate depiction of you or your blog. As a journalism student, I find these types of articles very frustrating – this man has sensationalised your fashion blog and made you into some fame-hungry money grabbing fool, which I know you are not.
I still love your blog and will continue to read and enjoy it. Don't let one lazy writer put you down.
Claire
heychubble.wordpress.com
The Daily Mail misquoting and manipulating things! Well I never